Priah Ferguson Is The Unsung MVP Of Stranger Things: “Nobody’s Touching Erica.”
Stranger Things’ biggest scene stealer teases what’s in store for Season 5.
Facing off against Demogorgons and (ideally) ending Vecna’s reign of terror has always been serious business, but that doesn’t mean that the final season of Stranger Things won’t have a few laughs along the way. Saying goodbye to such a major series, and the characters within it, is depressing enough — that may be one small reason why series creators Matt and Ross Duffer split the blockbuster-sized Season 5 into a triptych. The Duffers also sprinkled plenty of comic relief into the first few episodes of Season 5, reintroducing its funniest and most competent character, Erica Sinclair (Priah Ferguson), in a sequence so zany it almost feels akin to a different show entirely.
“I think this is one of Erica’s craziest adventures,” Ferguson tells Inverse of her return to Stranger Things. After two episodes with no Erica in sight, Lucas Sinclair’s (Caleb McLaughlin) scarily-smart kid sister arrives to help our heroes with an impossible task: drugging an entire family with spiked cheesecake. Though their intentions are pure — said family is being hunted by Vecna — Ferguson felt “almost like the villain” of the scene: “Luckily, she’s still a minor, so she won’t get into too much legal trouble.”
Erica has become a much-needed role model for Stranger Things fans: “People come up to me all the time saying how inspiring that character is.”
Ferguson, on the other hand, is all grown up. Having spent what feels like half her life on the set of Stranger Things, the 19-year-old actor is still trying to figure out what her future without the show looks like. “You’re saying goodbye to a family,” Ferguson says of the final season. “It’s definitely a tender feeling.”
Though there are three more episodes, and a feature-length finale, on the way, Stranger Things fans are likely feeling equally tender. Things are already getting pretty serious after Episode 4, in which Vecna’s Demogorgons launch a ruthless attack and abduct a dozen kids. Per Ferguson, it’s “all hands on deck” to defeat the primordial demon and save Hawkins, which means we may finally see Erica come off the sidelines and join the fight alongside Lucas.
Ferguson isn’t giving much away when it comes to Erica’s fate in the final season, but in an interview with Inverse, she looks back on her character’s journey, and what’s next for her outside of the Upside Down.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Ferguson likens the end of Stranger Things to “saying goodbye to a family.”
It’s safe to say Erica comes back with a bang in Episode 3. She’s tangled with the supernatural. She’s faced Demogorgons. Where does drugging her ex-best friend’s family rank among her adventures?
I think this is one of Erica’s craziest adventures, honestly. This is a different side we’ve seen of Erica. I think we all know that she’s a pretty confident person — I mean, she goes into a situation knowing more than everyone. So in this case, she kind of played a manipulative role, which was a different side of us to see. She was almost like the villain, and she usually has something to say towards villains, which is crazy. But I think this was the craziest thing she has done — and luckily, she’s still a minor, so she won’t get into too much legal trouble.
You’re pretty active on social media. Have you been following along to see how audiences have reacted to that scene?
I have, honestly, only because it’s kind of hard for me to stay away from it. I like TikTok, so I have been on TikTok. I’ve been seeing the edits. My sister sent me the edits and the fans’ reaction, and I love to see the reaction. I’m happy it’s positive, and it’s positive feedback. It’s exciting when the energy is great.
Erica might be the smartest of the Hawkins gang — but do her brains match her brawn?
Throughout the series, there’s been this really beautiful and funny progression and ownership of Erica’s nerdiness. She discovers what she likes early on and what she’s good at, and she fully embraces it. I’d have loved to have a character like her when I was growing up — but I’m curious if you’ve interacted with fans who’ve expressed what this representation means to them.
So many people. I mean, so many people — of all different backgrounds, even — come up to me. “We love seeing a nerdy girl who is confident in her nerdiness and her intelligence portrayed on TV.” You don’t see that often, especially for women and young girls, honestly. Erica came in, owning every space she was in, being confident in who she was. Her showing her nerdy and intelligent dynamic represents many young girls out there, which I think is great. People come up to me all the time saying how inspiring that character is or how great it is to see that representation.
Especially for something set in the ’80s. You see a kind of vulnerability with characters like Dustin and even Lucas. They’re secure in their “loserdom,” but they’re also thinking, “Oh God, this jock is going to come get me…” But Erica…
Nobody’s touching Erica. And she uses her intelligence as her superpower. She’s so emotionally intelligent and just… intelligent, period. I think people know not to try her.
Stranger Things has been a part of your life for more than half your life. Has it been hard saying goodbye?
It’s definitely a tender feeling only because I’m more familiar with it being a part of my life than not... It’s one of those things where, after I’m done filming each season, you always look forward to coming back and seeing how all these characters come together and help create this massive story for the fans and whatnot. So not being able to have that feeling for this show is a little sensitive to me, and also saying goodbye to my castmates and my friends. We’re all a family. So you’re saying goodbye to a family a little bit, and it is a little bit emotional, but this isn’t goodbye forever. I’m sure we’re all going to run into each other again.
After playing Lucas’ kid sister, Ferguson is ready to act her age: “I obviously can’t play 12 or 13 anymore.”
This season is huge in scale, and everyone has a role to play in stopping Vecna. No role is too small — but without getting into spoilers, will we see Erica take on an even more active role in these final chapters?
Like you said, all hands are on deck. So, in any way, for any of the characters to help out, they’re going to help out the best way that they can. So I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
With such a huge chapter of your life closing, what is something that you’re itching to do? You just graduated from high school. Are you going to keep juggling academics and acting?
I did take a little bit of a gap year, but I am still going to get my education while also pursuing acting. As for the acting industry and the roles I would like to see myself in, I’m really embracing the youth and the longevity of the youth that I have right now. I obviously can’t play 12 or 13 anymore, so I’m definitely [looking for] something that’s more teen-ish and speaks to our generation a little bit more. As for outside of acting, I’m into cosmetic science and fragrance and the beauty world, so I’m exploring that. I also like to cook. On my downtime, I’m learning a second language. There’s many different interests that I’d like to [pursue], but ultimately, yes, I am getting my education and pursuing acting.
